RIN QAL ~ Other Methods of Appliqué

This is the final week of the Rin Quilt Along!

I hope you've had fun and learned a bit more about appliqué.

Maybe this is your first time with appliqué? My co-host Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs is doing appliqué for the first time with this project!

I've been appliquéing for years and one of the things I love about it is how many great methods there are for achieving fantastic results. It just depends on the project and what you like!

Today, I thought I'd briefly share some of the other appliqué techniques I've tried and been very happy with...

The first appliqué method I ever tried was a needle turn hand appliqué method that uses freezer paper as a guide. Your shape is cut from the freezer paper (no seam allowance), ironed to the back of the fabric, cut adding 1/4" seam allowance, and then needle turned appliquéd using the edge of the paper as a guide. In this method, you have to make a slit in the background fabric and remove the paper. This example is from my first book "Gathered From The Garden".

Machine appliqué has also been one of my favorite methods. The fabric is fused to the background with a paper-backed fusible web product, and the raw edge is machine stitched usually with a buttonhole stitch or a zigzag stitch. These flowers from my book "Flower Pots" are machine appliquéd.

I love the machine appliquéd that block Paige from Quilted Blooms shared with us!

Learn her process today on her blog...

Quilted Blooms

Another method I find useful is where the edges are ironed under prior to starting the hand stitching. Although it takes more prep time, it makes the stitching very simple. It's a great method for simple shapes and I shared a tutorial here.

I use a similar method whenever I appliqué circles. I create the circle by stitching a basting stitch around the edge of the circle and using a heat resistant circle template. Just pull the stitching up around the template, starch and iron. I did exactly that for the circles in my Steam Punk quilt.

Finally, here's a fun method that worked really well in this pattern, "Memories" by Don't Look Now. The pieces are fused to the background and then straight stitched during the free-motion quilting.

These are just a few of the methods I've used. I'll bet you'll find more and tons of tutorials with a bit of searching online!

Hope this Rin Along has sparked your interest in appliqué. We'll be back next week on July 5th with our parade and prizes. You can email photos of your finished block to me at: cindy at hyacinthquiltdesigns dot com.